Not Your Average PB&J

Admit it- there are times when all you really want to eat is a PB&J sandwich. I know we all tend to relegate peanut butter and jelly to lunch boxes and the under 12 crowd but seriously, the average American child will eat close to 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they finish high school and adults over 30 still manage to put away a 10 or so a year.

Peanut butter was invented in 1895 by Dr. John Kellogg (he of corn flake creating fame) as a protein substitute for patients with no teeth. George Washington Carver improved and expanded on the original concoction and in 1922, J. L. Rosefield of Rosefield Packing Company came up with an ingenious way to keep the peanut oil from separating out of the peanut butter. This new and improved version called “Skippy Brand” became a nationwide favorite

While purist say that in order to create the perfect sandwich you need equal parts peanut butter and jelly, anyone who’s ever made a sandwich knows that’s absurd. You just glob on as much of either as you like and chow down. The smack down between crunchy and smooth peanut butter lovers is as old as the invention of the sandwich. Both are great options so use what you like. On a food factoid note, crunchy peanut butter has slightly more unsaturated fat than smooth does, while smooth does not contain as much fiber as crunchy.

I’ve read that grape is the preferred jelly choice with strawberry a close second. Honestly, I don’t care which flavor I get. I’m an equal opportunity PB&J fan. While some people feel that strategic slicing (diagonal vs. horizontal) is a key factor in the whole experience, I draw the line at cutting off the crusts.

The following recipes are wild and crazy variations of the PB&J. I hope you enjoy eating them as much as I did when I tested the recipes.

Pan-Fried PB&J (dairy or pareve)

Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices of good quality egg bread (challah)

Peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

Jam, your choice of flavor

2 Tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

Instructions:

Make a peanut butter sandwich using your favorite jelly or jam.

In a skillet, melt about one Tablespoon of butter. Using ½ Tablespoon butter, butter one side of the sandwich.

Place the buttered side down in the hot pan. Press down on the sandwich with a spatula for 10 seconds. Once the side in the pan is golden, butter the top of the sandwich with the remaining butter and turn it over.

When the second side is done remove the sandwich from the pan, place it on a serving plate, cut in half and enjoy.

My file source unknown

Pineapple PB&J (pareve)

Yields 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

¼ cup cream cheese, softened

Hot sauce, to taste

½ cup sliced or crushed pineapple

¼ cup shredded carrot

8 slices bread (thicker is better)

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine the peanut butter and cream cheese and mix until smooth. Add the hot sauce to taste.

Spread the mixture on the bread.

Place the pineapple and carrots on top of 4 slices of bread and then top with the remaining slices.